You know what the best thing about having a mild, totally platonic crush on your best friend's brother is? Seeing him walk around the house shirtless. Seriously, he does it ALL the time here at the Moscovitz's.

Lilly and I were just sitting in her parents' bed watching 'Lilly Tells It Like It Is' when Michael comes in.

"Hey, Thermopolis," he said.

"Hey, Michael," I replied, though more to his chest than to his face.

But then Lilly had to go and spoil it by saying, "What do you want, doofus?"

"Jeez, Lil, I just though I'd hang out with you guys. But if that's a problem, I can leave..."

"You don't have to leave, Michael," I blurted before I could stop myself. Have I mentioned how big my mouth can be sometimes? Lilly glared at me. "What?" I asked her. "He can stay. We're only watching TV."

"Thanks, Thermopolis. At least I know I can always count on you." He grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and dragged it right next to my side of the bed! How am I supposed to concentrate on watching TV when this shirtless god is sitting RIGHT NEXT TO ME???

It's just too bad that this particular episode of 'Lilly Tells It Like It Is' had us running around the streets like morons. Very mature, I'm sure. Why did I have to ask him to stay to watch it? Why? My only consolation is that at least it's not Justin Baxendale sitting next to me.

"Nice show, Thermopolis," Michael said once it was over.

"Uh, thanks..."

"Um, excuse me?" Lilly interrupted. "It's actually MY show. All Mia did was run around like a headless chicken and a bit of the camera work."

Thanks, Lilly.

"Whatever," Michael replied. "But you pulled the running away bit off nicely, Mia."

How red can a person blush? Seriously, I must have set the new record for it.

"Oh please," Lilly groaned, though I'm not sure why. "Michael, can you please get out of here now? I have to talk to Mia alone."

Michael raised his eyebrows at me, I giggled.

"Now, Michael!" Lilly cried.

"Ok, ok, calm down, I'm leaving."

To my dismay, he left. But not before winking at me as he shut the door. It was probably only a "My sister is an idiot" wink though. He seems to do that a lot.

If I knew how to wink, I'd have winked back, but sadly I always end up blinking or screwing my eyes up instead. It's just another one of my biological defects. It really sucks to be me sometimes. Or all the time, I haven't really made up my mind yet.

"What's up, Lilly?" I asked her.

"You. You're always... weird whenever my brother enters a room. What's up with that?" She doesn't KNOW does she? That I find her brother mildly, ok, more than mildly, attractive, I mean. She'd better not. I'm always so careful whenever I'm around Michael to make it not seem obvious that I'm somewhat warm for his form, but it's so hard sometimes. Especially when he smiles at me and I feel giddy, or when he accidentally touches me and it sends a shiver up my spine. Who can control themselves at those times? And I'll tell you, if it was Justin Baxendale it'd be even harder to control myself. So I think having a bit of self control around Michael is better than nothing.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Are my nostrils flaring?

"Whatever. Let's just go watch a movie in the den. And Michael is NOT watching it with us, ok?"

Damn. "Like I even care if he did, Lilly."

"Sure you don't."

So I walked into the den to find a movie to watch while Lilly made popcorn.

She returned a few minutes later with a bowl. "So what are we watching?"

"Princess Bride?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Sounds good to me too."

I spun around to see Michael sit himself down on the couch, right next to the seat I always sit in.

"No, Michael, you are not watching this with us. Go away."

"Aw, come on, Lilly, I love this movie."

"Not as much as other things," Lilly hinted, probably meaning his laptop.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just go away."

"As you wish," Michael said to her, although I couldn't help but notice he was looking at me. I don't know why though, since he was talking to his sister. Michael left us alone to watch the movie. And I didn't even try to stop him. I wanted to, believe me. But I thought better of it. My life has enough dramas in it already without adding to it by letting Lilly know about Michael. Because she'd no doubt tell Michael, and then I'd just DIE! Lilly fell asleep before the end of the movie; it wasn't even that late. But I guess she wore herself out with all the kicking Michael out.

Just as I was picking up all the popcorn that had fallen out of the bowl when Lilly dropped it, Michael graced me with his presence; he stood at the doorway watching.

"Uh, sorry, Michael, Lilly dropped it, but I'm picking it up."

"Don't stress, Thermopolis. If the butter stains we'll cover it with a rug. It's all good."

He bent down and helped me pick it up, Lilly didn't move.

"Thanks," I said when it was all picked up.

"No problem. And look, no butter stains. So what are you going to do now that Miss Cranky here has fallen asleep?"

"Um, I guess I'll try to put her in bed and then go to sleep myself."

"Why don't you just leave her here for a minute, I want to show you something."

He wanted to show me something??? I had visions of what fabulous things he could mean as he guided me down the hall to his bedroom.

I'd only ever been in his bedroom once before, that was after the

Cultural

Diversity Dance when he showed me his guitar and played his awesome song

'Tall Drink of Water' for me. Well not FOR me, it wasn't about me or anything, but he played it and I listened.

"I wrote a new song," he said, sitting on his bed and picking up his guitar.

"Cool, can you play it for me?"

"That's why you're here."

Of course. Why else would he want me to come into his bedroom and shut the door?

"It's called, 'Shirtless.'"

He started playing, it was nice. Not as nice as 'Tall Drink of Water' but still good. This one was about liking a girl but not feeling like you're good enough for her. The lyrics were very good, they had so many levels.

"Did you like it?" he asked once he was finished.

"Yeah, it was great! How do you write such good lyrics?"

"Oh, well, I like to use the technique they tell you to use. You know, the 'Write what you know' technique. It works well."

So it's real. Great. I bet it's about Judith Gershner. She's so Michael's type. I heard she's trying to clone a fruit fly in her bedroom! Seriously.

"Right, yeah..."

"What's going on here?" Lilly asked at the doorway. Michael quickly covered his guitar with his blankets. I don't think she saw it.

"Uh, we were just talking, Lil, that's all," I said quickly.

"Yeah, it's not a crime is it? I was just keeping your friend company since you'd passed out."

"I did not pass out. I was just resting my eyes!" Lilly cried.

"Whatever. You were out like a light so I thought I'd entertain Mia."

"Well I'm awake now, so come on, Mia, let's go to bed." I followed her without question.

She's fallen asleep again, I guess I should go to sleep too. Maybe in the morning Michael will forget to tie his robe so that I can still see his chest.

Maybe he will play me another song too.